In processing cylindrical workpieces, and particularly metal workpieces, one of the first steps is to cut to length a cylindrical piece from a length of cylindrical stock. In production processes, this means that large numbers of cylindrical workpieces are produced in the initial step of production. These workpieces are then subsequently handled and machined to provide the final product.
Saw-cut workpieces have burrs and sharp edges which must be removed prior to further handling. Removal of such burrs helps to prevent injury to workers handling the parts downstream of the saw and permits more accurate loading of the workpieces in the chucks of the tools that are subsequently used to machine the parts.
The removal of burrs for small-sized, cylindrical workpieces, i.e., those between approximately two inches to seven inches or more in diameter and two inches to six inches in height, has been a continuing problem. Manual methods involving filing or grinding are time consuming and carry a risk of repetitive motion and abrasion injuries. Semi-automatic machines for deburring cylindrical workpieces have been developed. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 2,479,689 to Maxfield. However, such prior semi-automatic finishing machines have suffered from numerous disadvantages. For example, they have been noisy in operation, complicated in design and construction, and difficult to adjust with repeatable accuracy when handling workpieces of different sizes. Most importantly, the prior finishing machines are capable of deburring only one edge of a cylindrical workpiece per pass through the machine, thus requiring repeated handling of the workpiece.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a deburring machine for cylindrical workpieces that is capable of simultaneously machining both edges of a cylindrical workpiece in a single pass.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a deburring machine that is easily adjustable so as to accommodate cylindrical workpieces of varying diameter and height, and that such adjustments can be accurate and repeatable.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a deburring machine that is both quieter and safer in operation than currently available machines.
These objects, as well as others that will become apparent upon reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, are provided by a deburring machine having a work table with a flat surface for supporting at least one cylindrical workpiece in substantially perpendicular relation thereto. The work table has an elongated, substantially straight edge, and a first side guide mounted to the work table and spaced in substantially parallel alignment with the straight edge of the work table so as to define a first work zone, the first side guide being adapted to engage the cylindrical wall of the workpiece adjacent to its lower peripheral edge.
A first continuous elongated belt having an abrasive surface is mounted to the work table and includes a drive motor. The first continuous elongated belt is disposed in the first work zone so that the abrasive surface of the belt engages the lower peripheral edge of the workpiece when the cylindrical wall of the workpiece abuts the first side guide.
A second side guide spaced vertically from the work table in substantially parallel alignment with the first side guide is provided for engaging the cylindrical wall of the workpiece adjacent to its upper peripheral edge. An overhead guide is spaced from the second side guide for engaging the upper circular surface of the workpiece, and the overhead guide and the second side guide define a second work zone that is substantially in alignment with the first work zone.
A second continuous elongated belt with an abrasive surface is provided along with a second drive motor and is disposed so that the abrasive surface of the second continuous elongated belt is disposed in the second work zone so as to engage the upper peripheral edge of the workpiece in the second work zone when the upper circular surface of the workpiece abuts the overhead guide. The second side guide, overhead guide, and second belt form a unit mounted to the work table that can be raised or lowered with respect to the work table to accommodate workpieces having heights within a predetermined range.
An elongated drive belt having a third drive motor is mounted to the work table in opposed, substantially parallel relationship to the first and second side guides. The drive belt engages the cylindrical wall of the workpiece to hold the workpiece in engagement with the first and second side guides and to move the workpiece both rotationally and longitudinally along the surface of the work table. As a consequence, both the lower and upper peripheral edges of the workpiece are rotated into the first and second work zones where they engage the abrasive surfaces of the first and second belts to remove the burrs thereon. The relative distance between the drive belt and the first and second side guides is adjustable to accommodate workpieces having diameters within the predetermined range.